1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device management system and an information processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is a remote device management system that performs a remote management service by connecting an apparatus to be managed, such as an image processing apparatus, a multifunction peripheral, a printer apparatus, or a projector apparatus, to a management apparatus provided in, for example, a service center of a manufacturer of the apparatus to be managed, via a communication network such as a network or a phone line. In the remote device management system, for example, a remote device management apparatus transmits a processing request, and a device management apparatus downloads data, e.g., large-scale setting information or firmware, from the remote device management apparatus or a server specified by the remote device management apparatus, and the device management apparatus performs a process using the downloaded data, by which a remote management service is provided to the apparatus to be managed.
When the data to be downloaded is, for example, firmware of the apparatus to be managed, the remote device management apparatus transmits a firmware update request to the device management apparatus, and the device management apparatus downloads the firmware from the remote device management apparatus or a server specified by the remote device management apparatus, and transmits the downloaded firmware to the apparatus to be managed, to allow the apparatus to be managed to perform a firmware update process.
For example, JP 4408033 B1 discloses a method of updating firmware of an apparatus to be managed in a remote management system including a management apparatus and the apparatus to be managed or an intermediary apparatus that intermediates between the management apparatus and the apparatus to be managed, the method being able to reduce the processing load and communication cost incurred by the transmission of firmware by the management apparatus. In the method of updating firmware described in JP 4408033 B1, the management apparatus sets required items (conditions required for a firmware update) including the model/model number, transmission date and time, and update date and time of an image forming apparatus which is a firmware update target. When the transmission date and time specified in a target device list file have come based on the required items, the management apparatus allows the intermediary apparatus to perform a firmware update, by which the firmware of the apparatus to be managed which is installed in, for example, an office of each customer can be automatically updated.
Meanwhile, when a server that holds data such as moving image files, large-scale setting information, image files, firmware, mapping information, and navigation information is simultaneously accessed by multiple devices, the load on the server increases. Hence, to distribute the load on the server, original data on content held by a static destination server with a uniquely fixed destination (hereinafter, also called a static destination download server with a uniquely fixed destination) is temporarily saved in dynamic destination servers with dynamically changing destinations (hereinafter, also called dynamic destination download servers with dynamically changing destinations) which are disposed in a distributed manner. A load distribution system is known in which a destination of a dynamic destination server to which the fastest access can be made is dynamically determined, and dynamically determined dynamic destination servers are assigned to users, by which an increase in data download speed and server load distribution are achieved.
However, in the conventional remote device management system, the communication destinations of the device management apparatus are only the remote device management apparatus and the static destination server which have static destinations. Hence, when dynamic destination servers are introduced in the remote management system to distribute the load on the remote device management apparatus or the static destination server, there is a problem that a remote device management service cannot be provided to customers with communication restrictions with a firewall.
In addition, in the method of updating firmware of an apparatus to be managed which is described in JP 4408033 B1, in the case of customers with communication restrictions with a firewall, since communication with dynamic destination servers is restricted, there is a problem that, for example, data such as firmware cannot be downloaded.
Hence, although conventionally the device management apparatus downloads data, e.g., large-scale setting information or firmware, from the remote device management apparatus or a static destination server specified by the remote device management apparatus, in order to distribute the load on the remote device management apparatus or the static destination server, there is a demand for a remote device management system using dynamic destination servers.
In view of the above, there is a need to provide a device management system and an information processing apparatus that can download data such as firmware even when customers have communication restrictions with a firewall.